Canadian Pool Terminal, 1932. Image source: National Geographic (Clifton Adams, photographer)
Canadian Pool Terminal, 1932. Image source: National Geographic (Clifton Adams, photographer)
Originally called the Saskatchewan Cooperative Elevator, the Pool Elevator is the only grain elevator located on Buffalo's outer harbor.
Completed in 1925, it was constructed by a co-operative of Canadian wheat farmers whose goal was to achieve fair prices for their
grain. The co-operative, established in the U.S. by five American men who were nominally acting directors and incorporators,
purchased twelve
acres of land from the Lehigh Valley Railroad along the outer harbor. On reclaimed land, the elevator was sited
specifically to provide
direct
access to deep water. As a result of the site creation and the complexities of its slab construction, the
Pool Elevator was more
expensive to construct than others of its time.
Rail-side view of the Canadian Pool Elevator, 1932. Image source: Economic Geography, 1932.
The Pool Elevator proved efficient, however. In May, 1926, it set a record by unloading 372,000 bushels in eleven hours,
while simultaneously loading 164,000 bushels into rail cars (the 4 tracks seen above). The facility, used only to unload, store and
transfer grain, had a useful life over several owners. It was purchased in 1945 by investors who called themselves the "Pool Elevator
Company."
In the 1951 season alone, 32 ships
unloaded a wide variety of wheat, oats, barley, and other grains. Then,
in 1952, Pillsbury
purchased the elevator
and the facility served multiple customers. Despite its
excellent location and rail connections, its large capacity
for unloading and transferring grain and small labor costs,
the
Pool Elevator
could not
survive the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway.
Its customers bypassed the unloading and rail transfer process in favor of sending their grain shipments directly to eastern ports
by the
new waterway.
The Pool Elevator was still useful for winter storage of grain, however, or as a holding facility for grain in anticipation of higher market
prices.
This attracted the Cargill company, which purchased the facility in 1964. In so doing, the company closed and abandoned
its upriver
Superior Elevator. Eventually,
Cargill ceased using
this
facility and abandoned it, also. In 2007, it is owned by
South End Marina.
If you are wondering what looks odd about the above photo, it may be because you are accustomed to seeing the Marine Star,
former Aquarama, docked alongside the Pool Elevator. On July 15, 2007, the ship was towed away after twelve years of
quietly rusting at anchor. For more information on the Marine Star/Aquarama, look here.